Life Experiences: Soil Tilth

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Byron Lyndeborough, NH Jan 26, 2001

One in awhile you might find an older garden book that talks about feeding the soil, or tilth.

In essence tilth is nothing more that putting compost or composted manure in the soil.

Good tilth, feeds the plants, prevents water errosion, flooding and wind errosion. Good tilth also allows the roots of the plant to breathe properly. Holds water longer so that less watering is needed.

The roots of a plant equate to the human digestive system.
To get nutrients to the body, one needs to start by placing something in the digestive system. To feed a plant, you need to get nutrients to the roots. The deeper the nutrients the bigger the plant,

IE, The record parsnip is almost 6ft. In order to make it grow that big, nutrients were provided 8ft deep.

In a book "Roots: The Mircales Below" by Charles Monroe Wilson, (the only redeeming thought in the whole book).

In Kansas they found some virgin soil (IIRC this was in the 40's or 50's). They dug down and found Alfalfa roots 16ft below the surface.

Have a spot in my garden where I grow parsnips, tilth is 30in deep, My roots get 2ft long.

My tomato holes (dug out of granite subsoil) are 3ft deep at 2 ft in dia, with tilth all the way down. The tap roots will grow the full depth in a 90 day growing season.

Since I have had over 50 years of my hands in the soil I have had time to grow with petro chems, organic chems. and tilth, IMHO tilth is the way to go.

Byron







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Chooch Chatham-Kent, ON(Zone 6a) Jan 26, 2001

I have over 40 years of my hands in the soil , and I must agree with you on that . Some of the so called experts are now coming around to that opinion . Topsoil degradation is still one of the most serious problems that exist on most modern farms . Keep adding that organic matter and grow the good stuff !!!

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Byron Lyndeborough, NH Jan 27, 2001

Just posted a photo on photo page,

Grown in 22 years of nothing but horsemanure and wooash.

Enjoy

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